Steering mechanism for power shovels of the traction-belt type



Fbo E29 B929 D. J. SHELB'ON ET AL STEERING MECHANISM FOR POWER sHovELs 0F THE TRACTION BELT TYPE Filed Aug. 5, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS @HT JI Smil-wow,

ZEUV BY CHARLES fik/VEBER;

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 12, 1929.

D. J. SHELTON ET AL 4 STEERING MECHANISM FOR POWER SHOVELS OF THE TRACTION BELT TYPE Filed Aug. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet PEPE@ 29 E929. v `1,701,594

D. J. SHELTON ET AL STEERING MECHANTSM FOR POWER sHoVELs 0F THE TRACTION BELT TYPE Filed Aug. 5,' .1926 5 sheets-sheet 5 CHARLES H MEE Feb. 12, 1929.

D. J. SHELTON ET AL STEERING MECHANISM FOR POWER S'HOVELS OF TRACTION BELT TYPE Filed Aug. 5, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet HRI/5 ELTON,

lq H HHRLES HVVBER,

Feb. 12, 1929.

D. J. SHELTON ET AL STEERING MECHANISM FOR POWER SHOVELS OF' THE TRACTION BEL-T TYPE v 5 Sheets-:Sheet Filed Aug. 5, 192,6

DW/ 5 H T SHELTON, CHARLES H. WEBER,

.I TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb.-

' UNITED lsTA'rEs PATENT oFncnf] j DWIGHT J. summon AND o'muinnsA A. WEBER, or MARION, OHIO', Assioirons Tommi MARION STEAM snovEL COMRANRIOR MARION, OHIO, A CORPORATION or. OHIO.` y

*.STEEBING MECHANISM EGB POWER SOVELS OF ',.lHE TRACTION-BELT TYPE.

Application led August 5, 1926. erial No. 127,311).

This invention reiates to steering mechanisxn for power shovels of the traction belt ltype, meaning, steam shovels which are Imounted on endless traction-belts, x

The object ci our invention, generally stated, is to provide a type of steering mech-V anisrnV mounted in part on the rotatable platform of the machine, and in part on the caterpillar or truck iraine of the machine, the

first branch of this mechanism, that on the` rotatable piatiorm being Operable by a spe cialinotor, and the second branch of the mechanism, that mounted on the truck frame being operable by the iirst branch and fashioned and arrangedto thereby lock the trac- 'tion belt on one sideagainst a traveling movement and to canse the traction beit on the other side to travel over the ground, where-V l by the apparatus may be steered to the right orto the left and may be turned around in either direction;` or may be steered straight ahead by an intermediate positioning oi certain parts ofthe mechanism in such wise that a 'traveling movement of the traction belts will be imparted to both oi the belts at the same time. 'Such is the general objectoi our invention;

A further obj' ect is to provide an organiza# tion comprising a common shat for driving the traction belts through a driving pinion and an intermeshing driven gear or actnatf ing a sprocket wheel `for each traction belt, this organisation being characterized by the .l adjusting mechanism carried by the rotatable platform of the machine to cause one of such driving pinions to be nnclutclied troni Y this common shait an --at the saine time held non-rotative so as to lock against a traveiing movement one of the traction belts'while' the other driving pinion will rotate with i such common sha-it and in turn give a trav-y Operable thereh a links connected to sach yoke andspringactnated bell crank Vlevers having a sliding connection'with such links and adapted as the result of anfa'nti-cloclrwise movement -aronnd'the axis ot the Vyolre to* loclr one oit-the driving pinion's while inter-` meshedwith its driving gear ofonfe traction belt, and by the'same movement to maintainl the other` driving pinion in a rotative position on the sliaft common to both pinions so as to rotate the intermeshing driving gear of the other traction belt; and by a clockwise movement of said yoke about its axis to reversev the positions of" said 'driving 'pinions on the common shaft so that the traction belt which in the first adjustment was locked9 will -now be driven, while the traction belt which before was driven will nowbe locked; whereby to steer the machine in either direction.

@ther objects of our invention will be develonedv and made manifest inthe yspecilication hereinafter to follow.. y

In theLaccoinpanying drawings forming a part of this specification and upon' which like numerals indicate corresponding parts. v

Figure 3 is a detaii enlarged view ot' both branches oi the mechanism, the actuating branch carried by the rotatabie platform cik the machine and the gearing branch carried by the trnclr of the machinem f i Figure t is an enlarged detaii view oit-'the Amotor or steam engine cylinder and the arm connected thereto te actuate the yoke and the actuating branch of the mechanism.'

Figure 5 is an enlarged detaii View, partly in section andpartly in elevatiomof the up imA vper branch ot the actuating mechanism carried by the general platform of the machine .l

and of the lower branch as supported by the traction trnol.

Figure 6 is a similar 'view to Figure 2, but with the parts adjusted to cause one traction belt to remain stationary while the other travels in order to turn the machine.

` Figure *7 is a like view to Figure 3 except that the'partsare in the. position they occupy when one traction belt is being held stationlary and the other is .being made to travel so l around',l

'as to turn the machine to one side or entirely- In Figure luis shown'so much of asteam" shovel,A comprising generally a rotatable plat- :forni indicated atl, mounted on a framing 2,

' indicated at 4, is mounted on the truck frame.

.the length of the links.

Referring to the first or actuating branch it vvill loe seen that it comprises a motor, pref-v erably in the nature of a small steam engine designated at 5, with the usual steam inlet pipe and exhaust pipe 6 and 7, and having the usual piston and piston rod 8. |This rod hy means of a link 9 pivoted to the rod at 10 is designed to oscillate an arm'11to which the link is pivoted at 12. The arm 11 is mounted ,rotatably on a shaft 13 having a nut 1li to Vihen the piston is reciprocated the arm 11 is oscillated and this in turn rocks the shaft 13 to which is also rigidly secured a yoke 18a, as best seen in Figure 3. rEhe reciprocation of the engine piston rocks the arm 11 either anticlockwise, to the left as viewed in Figure 3, or clockwise, tothe right as viewed in that gure, which in turn likewise rocks the yoke 18u. Attached to the yoke are links 19 and 2O each pivoted thereto as at 21 and each having a nut 22 adapted hy a thread lto properly adjust rlie other extremity of the links is slotted as shown at 23 so as to make a sliding connection hetvveen the links and the hell crank levers 24 and 25 each of which has a Wrist pin 2G adapted to permit the links to move freely thereon in one direction and to stop the links in the other so as to actuate the respective bell crank levers on the movement of tlelinks respectively.

supported by the machine and are positioned to keep their vvrist pins in one extremity of the slot 23 hy spring devices consisting of rods 22?a carried hy bearings 28u and pivoted at 295a to the links, with springs 3Ga to position the bell crank levers; the levers 24 and 25 at 'their other ends being hifurcated as shown at 28 in Figure 5 and having projections 29 which enter grooves 30 in the hub of pinions 31 and 32 as more clearly seen in Figure 2.

.Therefore when the bell crank levers are actuated they serve to adjust the pinions slidingly on the clutch sleeves 33 and 33", respec-l tively, so as to position the pinions either as shown in Figures 2 and 3, in which position the machine Would be steered straight ahead',

These levers are pivoted at 27, on a pivot suitably ifi/ertoe or in the position shown in Figures 6 and 7 in which the pinion 32 is engaged with a locking pin 37 mounted in the hearing 36. |lhere are two of these bearings-the other indicated at with its locking pin 34. Each pin is urged to the position shown in Figure 2 by expanding springs 38. @ne end of each spring is carried by a stud 39 also mounted, respectively,in the bearings 35 and 36.

l Each pinion, 31 and 32, is fashioned with recesses 31l and 32a, respectively, adapted to receive projections 40 on the clutch sleeves 33 and 33a so as to clutch these pinions to these clutch sleeves when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 and to unclutch one of them When adjusted to the position indicated in Figures 6 and 7.

lhen both pinions are clutched to thev ently appear, both traction belts, generally` indicated at13 in Figure 1, vvill he made to travel and advance the machine straight ahead. llhese pinions respectively mesh with spur gears lla and a5, Which are mounted on and keyed to sprocket shafts 16 and 47 respectively, these shafts being carried in suitable bearings generally indicated at A18 and 48' when the shafts 46 and 47 are mounted and keyed to the sprocket Wheels respectively indicated at 49- and 50. When both pinions 31 and 32 are in the position shown in Figure 2, hoth sprocket Wheels would be rotated, one on one side ci the machine and the other on the other side, so that both traction belts 43 Would be made to travel and steer the machine straight ahead as above stated. But when 4one pinion, the pinion 32 for instance, has

been shifted laterally hy the actuating mechanism ahove described and particularly shown Ain Figure 3, and made to engage with its pin stationary .While the traction helt at the other side will be made to travel through the fact that the pinion 31 on that side is unlocked and is transmitting motion to the belt through the spur gear 4A and the sprocket Wheel 19. rlhis will cause the machine to travel forwardly but in a curved path at that side of it, While the other side, Where the traction belt is then stationary, will not travel; and thus the machine Willhe turned either to one side or entirely around, as may he desired.

And it will loeV understood that either of these pinions 31 and 32 may be locked while the other Will remain unlocked,rso that the machine maybe directed or turned in either direction, to the right or to the left.-

We would further observe that as a part of the traction frame there are additional bearshaft 53 which extends longitudinally and is provided with a beveled gear 52a which meshes with a beveled pinion 52`u carried by" a vertical shaft 53*L having at its upper end a beveled gear 4 designed to receive .rotary m0- tion from the propelling engine carried, in

practice, on the swinging platform 1 ot the machine. (See Figure l.) The shaft 53a is positioned centrally so that when the platform swings on-the truck trame this shaft 53a will be coincident with the center. |lhe swinging of the platform on this center is etfected by certain mechanism in this-class ot machines and, therefore, is not shown.

lt will now be seen that our steering mechanism comprises two major branches, one we denominate the actuating branch being that partv which is carried by the platform oi the machine and is illustrated in detail'in Figure 3, and the other part which we denominate the actuated branch, which is carried by the truck trame; and that the relation of these parts is Such that the actuating branch will operate the other branch irrespective ot the v position the platform may occupy as its positon has no reference to the operation ot the steering mechanism in the sense that the storing mechanism is operable irrespective otilthe position ot' the platform with reference to thermen.

'llllie truck trame is of the form and type usually employed by our assignee, rll"he Marion Steam Shovel Company, in its manufacture o* this type of steam shovels. ln

general, this trame is composed of a heavy body casting hand two side castings indicated at 57. (See Figures l and rllhese side castings 57 include webs 58 which supportJ the bearings 36a and 48. rlhe main casting 3 supports webs 59 which carry the bearings 35 and 36. 'llhe side castings 57 also carry a series of rollers indicated in dottedlines at 60 in Figure l, which transmit the weight otthe superstructure to the lower lap ot the endless traction 'belts t3.

The mode of operation of the steering mechanism will be understood from the foregoing, but maybe briey summarized as tol- WhenA it is desired to" direct the machine 7straight ahead, the parts of both branches, the

\ 'actuating and the actuated branches of the and 25 and the pinions 31 and '32are'so positioned that both pinions are clutched to the clutch sleeves 33 and 33 respectively and that both pinions are in mesh with the gears 4d and l5 respectivelyso that the two traction belts arev being equally driven by theirrespec" tive sprocket wheels 49 and 50, resulting in the machine traveling straight ahead. What is here stated is illustrated particularly in Figures 2 and 3.

Then referring to Figures 6 and 7 it-will be seen that one of the pinions, pinion 32, is

locked by engagement with'its pin 37 and that, therefore, the gear 45 and sprocket wheel 50 will hold stationarywhile the other pinion 31 is clutched to the clutch 33 and, therefore, rotates with theshalt 4l and causes the belt at thatside of the machine to travel. lt will be noted trom Figure 7 that when the parts are in this position, the piston isat one end, as shown in dotted lines at 5a in Figures 3 and 7, instead of being at the middle of the cylinder 5, as shown in full lines in Figure 3, and that the arm ll has been turned clockwise so as to throw the pinion 32 into locking engagement with its pin 3'?, and so as to cause the slot 23 to travel on pin 26 carried by the bell crank lever 524i, so as to preserve pinion 3l in clutched relation to the clutch sleeve 33 whereby to drive the belt at that side. At the same time the link 20 will have pulled on the wrist pin 25 carried by the bell crank lever 25 to throw the pinion 32 into locking en- 'gagement with the pin 37 as above stated.

Referring back toFigure 5, it will be seen that the shaft 53 is hollow and that the pinions 52b and 54 are mounted and secured on this hollow shaft, while the disk l5 and the arm ll are mounted on an inner hollow shait 15 which' extends down through the outer hollow shaft 53 and carries theyoke 18a at its lower end. It tie bolt 13 extends through the inner hollow shaft l5at and at its lower end is prehend within oui-'invention such modiiications as may be necessary to adapt it to vary- ,ing conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described our kinven-A n@ tion, what"` we claim ashew and desire to cure by Letters -Patent is: i l, ln a machine of the character describedn having a platform and a truck carrying conveying mechanism, the combination there-,129

with of steering mechanism comprising an actuatingbranch composed of the motor and levers and intermediate connections between the piston of the motor and the levers, all

carried byy the platform but operable indel pendent of the position o; the platform, and of an actuated branch comprising a driven shalt pinion thereon controlled by said levers and conveying mechanism controlled by said inions one osition ot the levers and inl P y e P p ions causing the machine to advance straight ahead and another position thereof acting to lock the conveying mechanism at one side and to rotate it at the other side.

2. In a machine of the character described having a platform and a truck carrying conveying mechanism, the combination therewith of steering mechanism comprising an actuating branch carriedby the platform operable independent of the position thereof, and consisting` of an engine, an arm connected thereto, la yoke operable by the arm, links connected to 'the yoke and levers having a sliding connection with the links, and the actuated branch comprising a driven shaft having clutched sleeves, pinions adapted to be clutched and unclutched to said sleeves, locking devices to loclk either pinion from rotating while the other pinion travels with its clutch and gearing connected with the conveying mechanism and in mesh With said pinions, whereby when both pinions are clutched the machine will go ahead and T,vhen one pinion is locked and the other clutched the machine will make aturning movement When advanced.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination With an engine and piston, an arm actuated thereby, a shaft connected to the arm and a yoke to the shaft, solid -links carried by the yoke and bell crank levers having a sliding connection with the links, and a driven shaft having clutched sleeves thereon operated by the bell crank lever, adjacent.

locking devices, pinions connected with the levers and adapted thereby to be positioned to engage with the clutches or be engaged With the locking devices, one pinion being clutched While the other is locked, or both pinions being clutched and unlocked according to their position.'

ll. ln a machine of the character described,Y

a steering mechanism comprising an actuating branch consisting of an engine, an arm operable thereby, a yoke connected to the arm, links connected to the yoke, bell cranlk levers slidingly connected with the links and spring devices to normally urge each lever in a fixed `position With respect to the links so that the links may slide on their connection with the levers, whereby both levers may maintain a given position or one lever maintain one position and the other a diferent position; and comprising an actuated branch consisting of a driven shaft having clutches thereon engaged by the bell crank levers and associated locking devices, a pinion on each'sleevc and operable by the levers to clutch both pinions to the clutches or to lock one pinion and maintain the other in the clutch, the sliding connection between vthe levers and links permitting of the latter function.

5. In a machine of the character described, a steering mechanism comprising two branches, one an actuating and the other an actuated branch, the former branch consisting of a steam engine, an arm oscillatable thereby, a yoke connected to the arm, a sliding link connected to each end of the yoke, a bell crank lever having a sliding connection *with each link, and springs to urge the levers normally to one limit of their connection with the links, and the latter branch consisting of a driven shaft having clutched sleeves engaged by the bell crank leversA` a pinion on each sleeve and adapted to be clutched and unclutched from the sleeve, and locking device adjacent the pinions and a connection` between each pinion and onel of the levers` whereby both pinions may be clutched -at the ,same time or one pinion may be locked and the other clutched at the same time.

ln testimony whereof, We atliX our signatures.

' DYVIGHT J. SHLTON. CHARLES A. "WEBER, 

